Slide In
by KnyteMare
Summary: Alex got her physiotherapy degree, and decides to move south of the boarder, landing a job at the same hospital as her uncle… our favorite diagnostician. Slight x-over but mainly a House fic.
1. Chapter 1

So, pretty much, almost everything that has to do with Alex is from Degrassi: The Next Generation, but that is where it ends. I just love the character, and I felt the urge to work her into a House fic. People, places, and events mentioned are from the show, but that's all. The rest is based around House and the characters from House.

Also, I don't understand the whole 'Foreman/Thirteen' pairing; it doesn't make much sense to me, ergo, none of that. This will take place a few years after Alex leaves Degrassi, and only a little after the episode Lucky Thirteen.

And I am working on Cannonball, I just need a bit of time to organize where I want to go with it next. I figured getting this idea out of my head may help a bit. I apologize for any typos, I only checked it over two or three times, and I always have such a hard time checking my own work, because I don't look at it as closely as I should.

* * *

Alex looked down at the slip of paper in her hand, checking the street signs and building number again before looking up.

_This is the right place,_ she decided in her mind. She re-slung the large bag over her shoulder and made her way up the stairs. She looked at the plaque of resident names, finding the right one after a moment.

"Five-oh-six," she muttered to herself.

She walked over to the elevator, pushing the button for the fifth floor once the doors opened for her.

She waited.

* * *

_Doctor Lisa Cuddy skimmed the file in front of her before studying the woman who sat on the other side of her desk. She looked fairly young, perhaps her mid-twenties, with dark brown hair that was simply styled, falling to her shoulder blades in slight waves, and chocolate brown eyes that were studying the other doctor just as intently._

_ Her posture was the only indication that she was nervous at all._

_"So, Miss. Nuñez, what got you interested in Physical Therapy?"_

_With a slight shake of her head, Alex flipped a lock of her dark hair out of her face._

_"Well, that's a complicated story. The sort version is… I have a friend," she paused. Friend was pushing the term a bit. "Back in high school he got hurt. Badly. He went from captain and MVP of the school's basketball team to a wheelchair."_

_Lisa Cuddy did not say anything, though Alex's tone suggested that there was more to the story than she let on._

_"He could of had a full athletic scholarship to any college he wanted, and just like that it was all gone. It was a while later; a long while, but he learned how to walk again. He has crutches but he's walking. I don't know him recovering … walking just gave him back a part of himself that he had lost."_

_Alex was looking down at her lap, but her eye's rose to meet the Dean's._

_"And after seeing that, I always thought if I had the chance to do that for someone, why not?"_

_Cuddy was nodding her head slowly as Alex finished._

_"You're very passionate about this."_

_"You could say that," Alex agreed.

* * *

_

Alex's trainers scuffed against the polished, tiled floor beneath her as she made her way passed the plethora of doors.

Her destination was a simple, oak finished door that matched the other dozen on the hallway. She bit the inside of her lips as she studied the brass numbers that decorated it.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward, raising her hand to rap loudly on the wood.

* * *

_"So, your resume says you're from Canada. What brings you all the way to New Jersey?"_

_Alex grinned slightly, her white teeth contrasting with her light olive-toned skin._

_"Well, I was born in the States, but I've lived in Ontario almost my whole life; I have citizenship in both countries. I guess I just… wanted a change. I got into a lot of trouble when I was younger, and I felt like I would never escape it as long as I stayed there."_

_"So further away the better?"_

_Alex nodded._

_"Something like that. I was job searching for a few weeks, and there were a few places I found that were looking for a physical therapist, but then I found the one for here and… it really interested me."_

_"Why more than the others?"_

_"I wanted to get away, but I didn't want to be someplace where I was completely alone, you know? And I recognized the name of the hospital; my uncle works here."_

_"Your uncle?"_

_Alex nodded again._

_"Yeah, I don't know… he and my mom didn't keep in touch too much when I was younger, but I never disliked him or anything. I just felt that having _someone_ nearby would be better than not. I wish I could have caught up with him while I was here, but I think he said he was away at a conference this week." _

_"Your uncle?"_

_Alex's mouth curved into a confused smile._

_"Yeah, my mom says I was a lot like him when I was younger, but I grew out of it a bit after I graduated high school. I'm pretty sure that's a good thing, because I was downright awful back in grade school."_

_"What's his name?"_

_"Gregory."_

_Cuddy's mind supplied her mouth with the first Gregory she knew._

_"House?"_

_"Yeah, that would be him. He's my mom's older brother."

* * *

_

It was nearly a minute later when Alex heard the click of the door being opened.

"Oh God, you really are here," the gray-haired man said, leaning his tall frame against the doorway as he took in her appearance. She had a large army-duffel bag at her side, as well as a suitcase and a backpack. A red sweater was zipped over the black tank top she had on.

"I said I was coming," she replied, not fazed at his curt tone.

He pushed the door open further, stepping back out of the way.

"And I said you have the couch for two weeks. If you need longer, we can negotiate, but I guarantee nothing."

"It should be plenty," she replied, accepting his silent invite into the apartment.

* * *

_Cuddy thought over the whole interview at the revelation. Alex did hold a similar air that her uncle had, and that alone made her hesitate. At the same time, the hospital Dean saw many differences between the two. _

_"Is my uncle really that bad?" Alex asked, accurately reading into her silence. Cuddy looked at her in surprise before nodding._

_"I can't even begin to describe."_

_"I guess I won't be thanking him if I get the job," she said lightly._

_Cuddy graced her with a small smile._

_"When would be the soonest?"_

_"Pardon?"_

_"You're able to start working."_

_Alex blinked at the hospital head before glancing at a calendar hanging on the wall. It was Monday._

_"Mid next-week, I could do. A few things to wrap up back in Canada, but definitely next week."_

_"You could do Wednesday?"_

_"Sure. That would be perfect."_

_Cuddy nodded, studying the girl a moment longer._

_"Personality aside, and a few other details, your uncle is a good doctor."_

_Alex blinked at the statement._

_"And don't tell him I said that."_

_"Tell him, but-"_

_"Does 8:30 work?"_

_"Pardon?"_

_"8:30 on Wednesday. Is that a decent time? You can meet me here, we can go over paperwork and I'll give you a tour of the place. Meet up with some of the other specialists you'd be working with."_

_"Just like that?"_

_"You graduated in the top 3 percentile of your university class; you had an internship in a sports rehab office for two years, and you have a decent source of… stability, for lack of a better term, to be here."_

_"He doesn't even know I'm in the area."_

_"Details," the older doctor waved it off. "You have experience, you have drive, and you are more than able."_

_Cuddy let the declaration hang in the air._

_"So, Wednesday at 8:30," Alex repeated finally.

* * *

_

Alex let her army duffel drop at the end of the couch, putting her suitcase and backpack next to it.

"You're apartment searching," her uncle stated, not sounding particularly interested.

"Yep."

"How's Emily?"

"Last I heard she was sober; making it okay on her own."

House 'hmmed' not turning towards her.

"Two weeks."

Alex nodded, even though he did not see it, as he made his way from the room.

"Thanks Uncle Greg."

There was a moment of silence before the bedroom door clicked shut. Alex sunk into the couch, looking around with interest.

_What have I gotten myself into?

* * *

_

Just in case you haven't seen Degrassi before (it really isn't necessary to know much about the show):  
www . flickr . com/photos/deanna1645/2209975152/  
Remove the spaces, and there you have the wonderful Deanna Casaluce, a.k.a. the actress who plays Alex. Whatcha think… Alex Nuñez = Remy Hadley worthy? I think so.


	2. Chapter 2

So, the title of this fic is from a song by Goldfrapp, with the same title. I just thought it fit. Great band. I suggest them if you're into an electornica/alternative sound. Or if you're just looking for something different.

* * *

The day following her arrival, Alex was woken up at seven o'clock by the sounds of her uncle making his way around his apartment. She unsuccessfully tried to block out the noise.

_Definitely priority to find my own place_, she thought, letting herself relax for a few more minutes before she shoved herself to a sitting position. It was only Tuesday, and she did not appreciate being woken up when she did not need to be awake.

"I'm curious," her uncle's bored drawl stole her attention. She turned, raising an eyebrow at him.

"What of?"

"You didn't bring a lot of stuff," he pointed out the obvious. "Moving down here, you'd think that you'd have more."

Alex shrugged.

"I don't have a car. Just packed my clothes and essentials that I could take with me on a bus, left some boxes and other stuff with my aunt."

"Aunt?"

Alex rolled her eyes.

"My father's sister."

Impassively he nodded.

"Right."

"Anyhow, she said she'd send them to me once I find a place."

"Have fun with that."

Alex swung her legs off the couch, her feet touching the wood floor hesitantly.

It was cold.

"I'm sure I will. And you have fun at work; your boss seems really nice."

House grunted.

"Hardly."

Alex sniggered as he left. She finally got to her feet, stretching her arms and legs.

"Not the most comfortable place," she muttered, looking at her makeshift bed. "But not the worst couch in the world."

She knew that place was reserved for Jay's ratty, beat-up sofa.

_Wonder what he's up to now_, she wondered, not particularly interested as she made her way to the kitchen, searching through the fridge.

Nothing.

"I hope there's a good diner in the area," she commented to the empty room.

She grabbed a pair of clothes, changing and leaving the apartment behind, not bothering to lock the door as she did not have a key.

Besides, surely anyone who knew her uncle would not have any desire to set foot near where he lived.

* * *

"Fun day?"

"Indubitably. You?"

Alex watched the taller man move around the kitchen, as if he actually had something to do.

"Very."

They understood each others dry humor without difficulties.

"Find a place yet?"

Alex shot him a look, as if asking if he was crazy. All things considered, that was most likely her goal.

"I haven't even been here a full 24 hours."

"And yet you restocked my kitchen and cleaned all of my dishes."

"I had time."

"You don't say."

"So you bringing me to work tomorrow?"

"Do I have a choice."

Alex shrugged.

"Debatable."

"I guess I am."

"Thanks."

"You looking for a car too?"

"Thinking about it."

"Do it."

Alex did not respond, instead locking her gaze with her uncle's blue one. She noted, idly, that he had the same eyes as her mother; there was no doubt that she took after her father's side of the family when it came to appearances.

"When you leaving?"

"I was thinking about eight."

"Don't you have to be there for eight?"

"What's your point?"

Alex shook her head.

"Just checking."

"Don't you have someone you can call and bother?"

Alex shrugged.

"Not particularly. No one that I want to talk to at the moment, at least."

"Really? No boyfriend you've tragically left behind to pursue your dreams?"

"The last boyfriend I had was back in high school."

"No girlfriend?"

"Not recently."

"Well I was just kidding, but thanks for the clarification. Remind me to set up cameras in your new place."

Alex stared.

"You do remember that I'm your niece? As in, we share DNA."

"As Thirteen would say, not medically relevant."

"Thirteen?"

House nodded, before limping his way out of the kitchen.

"I'll be sure to wake you up even earlier tomorrow."

"I hate you."

"Out of the good of my heart, I'll forgive you for that."

"Don't be ridiculous." Alex held his gaze in silence for a moment before continuing. "Everyone knows you don't have a heart."

House paused at the doorway to his room.

"Touché."

Alex sighed when he disappeared into the other room, shutting the door behind him. She walked over to her sweater that was hanging off the back of the chair where she had left it. Fishing through the pocket, she pulled out her beat up cell phone, flipping it open to dial the number she had long since memorized.

"Lexi?"

"Jay," she returned his greeting. "How's it going?"

* * *

"Don't you have something else you can do?" House asked, handing the paper across his desk. Alex took it, returning to the seat in the corner as she flipped it open to the classifieds.

"We left earlier than you said we were going to."

"My bad," her uncle replied, not sounding particularly remorseful.

"I don't have to meet Dr. Cuddy for another 25 minutes," Alex continued, ignoring his comment. "So no. I don't have something else I can do."

The office was filled with the sounds of paper rustling as the brunette looked over the different apartment adds. House was leaning his chair back, tossing his ball up and catching it.

"So why'd we have to leave earlier?"

"I got paged."

"And yet here you are. I wonder what's missing in this picture."

Alex did not look up when the door opened.

"Ahh, my ducklings. What do you have for me?"

"Little girl, eight years. Woke up with numbness in both legs. Within the hour she could not move them at all," Foreman answered, dropping the file on the desk in front of House.

The gray-haired doctor glanced to the folder before looking up.

"So?"

"So, she's eight years old, with no prior nerve or skeletal damage," Taub elaborated.

"Yet clearly there is a problem," House countered. "Any ideas?"

"Well we know it isn't trauma," Kutner stated the obvious.

"Polio?" Taub suggested.

"Could be autoimmune," Foreman added. "GBS."

"It wouldn't happen that fast," Thirteen argued. "Besides, according to patient history, she's never even been outside of Jersey. Kind of hard to get a disease brought on by a foreign infection if the patient hasn't been anywhere remotely foreign."

Alex, still unnoticed from her seat in the corner, looked up at the feminine voice. She studied the older woman for a moment, unconsciously smiling.

"Interesting theories," House said, not sounding interested in the slightest. He noticed his niece's attention had wavered from the newspaper, but after catching his eye, she looked back down.

"What about it Lexi?" he started, using the childhood nickname she frequently went by. "You're the new physio specialist, seems like something you might need to deal with, right?"

For the first time, the room's attention went to the brunette. Alex let her shoulders drop slightly at the recognition, but she continued to scan the paper as though she had not just been brought into the conversation.

"Yeah, I work in rehab, not diagnostics. That's out of my area."

"Oh don't be stupid."

This time Alex lowered the paper slightly, raising both eyebrows at the insult as she met her uncle's blue eyes.

"You still have to know about what you're treating."

Alex ran her tongue along the back of her teeth.

"Periodic paralysis?" she asked more than stated, at last. "Happens gradually or quickly, and it can be either weakness or full loss of movement to the extremities. Sounds like your patient has both."

House studied his niece, just shy of approval.

"Check the patient's potassium levels," he ordered, going with her suggestion. "And then family genetics."

The team looked between their coworker and the newcomer.

"Well, get on it," House snapped. "And you. Don't you have a meeting?"

Alex looked at the clock. Five minutes.

"Yeah," she answered, tossing the paper back to his desk as she got to her feet. She was on the shorter side of average, only 5'6'' with her heals. "I'll see you later," she continued, picking up her leather folder that contained all of her personal files.

"Unfortunately."

One would take Alex's following look as insulted, if she did not have a small smirk tugging at her mouth.

"Oh please," she drawled, in a similar manner to his usual tone. "You like it."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Somehow I doubt that."

"Your lack of belief cuts me deep."

"That's tragic," Alex observed, nodding slowly. "Really it is." Breaking the serious tone, Alex used her folder to motion between herself and her uncle. "Fortunately for me, I'm already over it."

The proclamation was met with silence, and Alex's smirk grew.

"Bye."

Her uncle did not respond as she walked out of the office. Before she was out of sight, she looked back, a wide grin on her face.

No one back home challenged her; it was probably the reason she got into so much trouble when she was younger, she decided. She saw the faintly concealed humor in his eyes.

Apparently he liked the challenge as well.

"Why are you still here?" she heard him snap at the group that still filled his office. They split up as Alex managed to find her way through the maze of halls to the Dean's office.

Cuddy waived her into the room when she saw her, and Alex obeyed the silent order.

"Miss Nuñez, right on time."

"Dr. Cuddy," Alex greeted politely, taking the proffered seat.

"How did your move go?"

"I'll let you know once it's finished," Alex answered lightly. "I still haven't found a place," she admitted.

"That can't be good."

"Oh, my uncle's couch is very comfortable," the younger doctor explained, with slight sarcasm.

"House, 24/7. I am very sorry for your predicament. You could always start a bit later, after you're all settled in the area."

Alex laughed at the genuine tone of her employer.

"No, it's really okay. We get each other."

"I think you are the only person in the world able to admit that."

Alex shrugged.

"We have a similar sense of humor."

"I will keep that in mind," Cuddy took the statement as a warning. She handed the thick folder of papers across the desk to the young brunette. Alex hesitated before accepting it.

Paperwork always intimidated her. Nevertheless she passed across her own folder.

"I wasn't sure what you would need, but I think pretty much everything is there."

Transcripts, letters of reference, government documents.

"Let's get to it shall we?"

Alex forced a grin.

* * *

"Potassium levels are high in the bloodstream," Thirteen informed her boss, handing him the results of the lab test. "Kutner tested both parents, the father had the positive gene. Looks like your friend was right; seems like periodic paralysis."

"Oh please, she's not my friend."

"You sure about that?"

"Quite."

The brunette shrugged, not bothered by House's attitude.

"Whatever you say."

"Start the patient on low doses of thiazide diuretics to help bring her potassium levels down. Have Taub inform the parents of long-term control."

Thirteen nodded, letting her boss hobble away as she changed directions. She relayed the orders to her coworkers.

"It really wasn't much of a case," she reflected later, as she was eating her lunch with Kutner. "I don't know why we even got it."

The Indian man shrugged.

"It's been slow lately. Maybe they thought they were doing us a favor," he suggested. Thirteen frowned, shaking her head as she looked around the room. Her gaze froze at the odd scene a few tables down.

"How are House and Dr. Cuddy sitting together and not at each others throats?" she wondered aloud. Kutner glanced over his shoulder, where she was looking.

"That is odd."

Thirteen blinked when they were joined by the new doctor they had briefly met this morning, watching as the brunette handed House a sandwich.

"Very odd."

* * *

"This is Dr. Ackley, he specializes in neurological therapy," Cuddy introduced the much older man. Alex shook his hand with a smile.

"Dr. Nuñez has past experience in sports therapy, she'll be taking over orthopedics."

"Nice to meet you."

"Same."

"Now Dr. Ross specializes in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, she'll be in this afternoon, as will Dr. Hollie, who works with integument trauma patients," Cuddy continued, showing Alex around the wing of the hospital. "Finally Dr. Shoop covers both pediatric and geriatric patients."

Alex greeted the other doctor with another smile.

"Dr. Shoop will be your primary supervisor, but please, if you have any problems don't hesitate."

"Thank you."

"There are a few interns in this department you have the ability to order around to assist you, they have not decided on a concentration yet."

Alex's grin grew. Her first day and she already had lackeys.

"Office hours are from 8-5, but you do have the ability to adjust your schedule if you need to get off early for something. Perhaps an appointment to look at an apartment or the such."

"Good to know."

"I believe you've seen most of the hospital. I'll leave you here, so you can get your office situated and get settled."

"Thank you again Dr. Cuddy. So much."

"Just promise me you will not follow in your uncle's footsteps."

Alex grinned.

"I'll do my best."

"With your family, I guess that's the best I can ask for," the Dean commented lightly.

Alex did not take offense.

* * *

So, I don't yet know if this is a good story, but I do like writing the characters for the moment. As always, forgive any mistakes I have made. I really dislike editing my own stuff, I tend to over look some of the finer details. Like grammar.


	3. Chapter 3

So, I'm on a role right now, and I figured I'd carry it over. It's MY BIRTHDAY! And, this is my... second gift... to y'all... which is still reverse of what's normal. But yeah, good mood, good times.

And I'm sorry for the wait.

* * *

Alex pursed her lips as she typed with the keyboard; her office computer was ignored in favor of her laptop. A weeks worth of newspaper classifieds were strewn across the desk around her.

_Cars, houses, apartments. What am I going to do with myself?_

She had the briefest urge to tear out her hair. She was really more of an 'in the now' person; planning ahead and actually doing research was not high on her skills list.

To be honest with herself, they were not on there at all. Unfortunately, they needed to be incorporated into her decision.

With a sigh, Alex clicked on one ad, waiting as it opened in a new window. It had been just over the two week grace period her uncle had allotted her, and she was still struggling with finding a place that she was content with. Clicking the link to the pictures, she tilted her head at the handful that were displayed.

This apartment actually looked... nice. She looked back at the details. Pet friendly, located closer to downtown, most likely a 15 or 20 minute walk.

With a grin she repeated the number to herself, before turning from the screen and picking up her office phone.

"Good afternoon, this is Trey, how can I help you?"

"Hi, yes, my name is Alex Nuñez and I'm calling about the Baxter Street apartment."

She chatted with the man for several more minutes, finally setting a meeting time for the next day to look at the small abode. With a grin, she hung up.

_Now for the cars._

After twenty more minutes, she found several she felt were worth looking into (though after several tries, she knew that this list would narrow significantly by the end of the day).

"Should stop at the bank in the morning and see what I can't get for a loan," she muttered to herself as she shut down her computer and stashed it in the dark tote bag, leaving the small office for her next appointment.

* * *

The apartment, she decided, was the perfect size for her. Perhaps even a bit big.

It was one of several upstairs apartments, above a small pizza parlor, and a handful of novelty shops. The door from the hall opened into a wide entry way. With a wall on one side, the opposite held a large closet with double doors; behind them was clearly a space for a washer and dryer. Beyond the short entrance way it broke off; a counter separated the small kitchen on the left, and a living room on the right. Her two couches and card table would fit nicely, along with a TV and her mediocre entertainment system, but otherwise it was just as small as the kitchen.

A large, waist high to ceiling window extended across the whole far wall, over looking the couple small shopping plazas that were in the area. Stairs cut off some of the view, running next to the window before cutting back to lead over the kitchen and living room. Alex followed Trey, a large blonde man, up the stairs and took in the second level. It was just as open, a short wall (this one was nearly at Alex's navel) was the only thing separating the room from the downstairs.

The room itself was large, almost too large, with a complimentary large bathroom to the left, and an walk in closet on the far side. Like the downstairs, the carpet and walls were white and clean.

"This place is amazing," she said sincerely. It was a far cry from the step-above-dump where she had grown up, clean and safe most importantly all hers.

If Trey accepted the offer.

"I'm glad you like it, no one else has answered my ad."

"Their loss."

"Should we go over some paperwork, then? I brought it with me just in case."

Alex held back her groan, agreeing.

"When would I be able to move in?"

"You tell me."

Alex paused.

"Would this weekend be okay?"

Trey smiled.

"If that's what works."

Alex returned his grin.

* * *

The brunette almost could not contain herself, as she strode quickly, and with purpose, through the halls of the hospital. Making her way to the elevator, she pushed the button, and was relieved to have the doors open almost immediately. Climbing in she pushed the button for the diagnostics floor and waited while the lift brought her to her destination.

Once freed, she made her way along the well-traveled path to where she knew her uncle would be. Not worried about his team, they _had_ to be used to her continual bursts in their differentials, she pushed open the glass door, walking straight to the seat of the table where her uncle rested. With a light 'slap' her folder of papers hit the table in front of him.

He gave her an annoyed look, irritated that she had broken his peace and drew the attention of his co-workers.

"You got me papers. I'm so ecstatic."

Alex rolled her eyes at the dead-panned tone.

"No, I got _me_ papers. Which I am just so gratefully sharing with you."

House looked doubtful, but glanced down at the top sheet, before doing a double take.

"Is this-?"

Alex was nodding.

"I got my own place. Be all moved in by this time next week."

Instead of pleased, House adopted a relieved posture.

"About time."

"My loan application also got approved. I have a car."

Alex paused at that statement. It still had not sunk in yet.

She smiled.

"I have my own car."

Silence.

"This day could not get any better."

"It would if you left me alone."

She looked at her uncle, slightly affronted at his comment. Taking back her packet of paperwork she paused a moment before hitting him on the side of the head with them.

"You don't have that sort of luck," she informed him, with a smirk as she turned to leave. "Ass."

The last bit was muttered more to herself, the only person to pick it up was the other female doctor in the room. Biting her lower lip, Thirteen's attention fell to the ground, hiding her amusement from the rest of her colleagues.

"So, do any of you have any input on this, or should I go tell Cuddy that my team has gone temporarily retarded and they cannot contribute to today's case?"

* * *

"I think I'm gonna get a dog," Alex said over the phone as she paced next to the hospital entrance an hour later.

"Really Lexi? A dog."

"Yeah, I want something that I can spend time with and train, and you know... run with. Something to keep me busy outside of work."

"But still, a living and breathing dog?"

"Oh? And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Okay. Grade five, remember?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"You brought the class rabbit home and it never came back."

"Oh give me a break, I was nine! Besides, that was a bad week for my mom."

"I just think you should give this more consideration before you make any rash decisions."

"Jason Roger Hogart. Are you saying that I'm incapable of taking care of an animal?"

"Lex... I'm surprised _you _even made it this far."

Alex paused.

"I'm hanging up on you right now," she warned before snapping her phone shut. She all but threw herself onto the bench she had been pacing near, startling herself at having not seen the other doctor sit there to look through the file she held.

"Boyfriend troubles?"

Alex snorted.

"Who, Jay? Eww, hardly. We haven't dated since high school."

The other brunette studied her for a moment before shrugging.

"Do you hate House?" she suddenly asked. Alex looked over confused.

"Where did that come from?"

"Well you two are always at each others throats," Thirteen elaborated. It was her first actual conversation with the physio-specialist.

"Everyone who knows him is at his throat. I'm just more abrasive than others."

Thirteen considered the statement for a second.

"Yeah, good point."

Alex glanced over as she slumped further down the bench.

"Any progress on the patient?"

The older diagnostician shook her head.

"Nothing yet. It's like... we get one thing taken care of and it ends up just covering up another symptom, you know?"

Alex shook her head.

"Sounds _fun_."

The sarcasm was not lost on Thirteen.

"Totally," she agreed with the same amount of contempt.

The two shared a small smile, falling into silence. Alex shifted as the other doctor went back to her file, wondering if she should try and continue the conversation. Her cell phone interrupted her moments later, and Alex flipped it open, already knowing who it was.

"Look, I'm sorry. You are totally capable of taking care of a dog."

"Oh, come around have you?"

She caught the other doctor's eye again, rolling her's as she nodded to the phone. Thirteen gave her a nod as she got up and resumed her previous pacing.

* * *

The meager possessions she had brought with her did not even start to fill the apartment. Having bought clothes hangers though, her clothes were finally all unpacked.

Her Uncle and Jay, who had surprised her with both his appearance and aid, had not managed to get down until the following Tuesday with the moving van. They had picked up her stuff from her once-rented storage unit back in Ontario. Having gotten three days off from appointments, they worked on unpacking her apartment and setting it up. With each poster and knickknack that went up on the walls and shelves, it was feeling even more and more like home.

"Man Lexi, this place is huge," he said on the third day, looking around at the finished product. On the first floor, between concert/band and other interest posters, there was scarcely a spot of clear on any wall. The bedroom was more meaningfully decorated: reminders of her accomplishments, even collages from school days, adorning the white room in a more selective manner.

With a grin, she fell heavily onto one couch, basking in the comfort it offered.

"Where's Uncle Richard?"

Jay shrugged from his seat, looking away quickly.

"Don't know. I think he ran out to get something."

Alex studied him with narrowed eyes.

"Why don't I believe you? Where did you two go last night?"

"Lexi, come on. Would I lie to you?"

She did not need to answer. Giving him a pointed look, she rolled her eyes and turned on the TV. Lounging on the couches, they spent the time laughing at each others personal, and often crude, commentary to the show, a pastime that was rather typical of the pair. An hour later the door opened again and Alex glanced over to see her father's brother, standing in front of the mostly closed door.

He had a large smile on his face.

"Housewarming gift."

"What?" Alex asked with confusion, getting to her feet.

Her uncle pulled the door open again, tugging lightly at a green leash she finally noticed he was holding. The brunette stared as an all-white puppy pattered into the room, looking from the dog to the smiling face of her uncle and friend, and back to the dog.

"Seriously?"

"German Shepherd. Female, exactly ten weeks, all checked out and registered. I picked up some essentials, they're down in the van."

"Seriously?"

"You better take care of her, she wasn't cheap."

Dazed, Alex accepted the leash from her uncle, who gave her a light shove on her shoulder before going down to grab the dog supplies.

"See, I didn't lie. He did run out to get something."

"You totally knew though," she accused, lacking the usual amount of frustration.

"Yep. So what are you naming her?"

Sitting on the floor, Alex patted her leg lightly, and the puppy eagerly ran up to her, sniffing her new owner.

"No idea," she answered, a grin slowly spreading over her face. Her uncle returned with a large bag of puppy food and an almost equally large shopping bag.

"You have two bowls, some toys and treats," he said, putting it all on the counter. "I also picked up some tags, so when you settle on a name you can get them engraved."

"Thank you. Seriously, thank you so much."

Her uncle was grinning right back.

"Lexi... I haven't seen you this happy in a while. You need something to de-stress you."

"Really, thanks Uncle Rick. I'm so overwhelmed now... I have my own place, my own car, and now a dog. I don't even know what to do."

"I got an idea," Jay offered. "You can take care of dinner."

Not even caring about the cost, Alex nodded.

"Deal."

"Is Gregory coming?"

Alex paused for a moment before shrugging.

"I can ask if you want."

"Why wouldn't we?" Jay fired back.

"He's like... a 50 year old version of how I was at 14."

Both men hesitated.

"Do it up."

"Yeah Lexi. We went through you then, now is no problem."

Alex stared at the two for a second, before shrugging.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."


	4. Chapter 4

The first weekend in her furnished apartment was heavenly, Alex decided. The puppy, whom she had eventually named Sonia, followed her every move around the house, to the point where Alex started to leave the bathroom door open even as she showered. Though it initially took some getting used to, it was quickly becoming habit.

As Alex moved about her kitchen, moving dishes to the sink and packing her work bag, the dog slept peacefully on the couch, napping from the aftereffects of the morning run. Eventually she would get used to the pace and duration, but not yet. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she reached over the couch to gently run her hand through Sonia's fur. Though the dog was still asleep, and would not be able to reply anyway, Alex felt obligated to reassure the puppy that she would be back in only two hours to take her for a walk.

Locking the door behind herself, Alex headed down to the car lot, getting into her Jetta before heading to work. She greeted Dr. Cuddy with a friendly smile as she passed by the older woman in the lobby. She headed straight to her office, pushing her Uncle's check up to later in the day.

She was slowly falling into a comfortable routine, which left her almost deliriously happy at the simplistic normalcy of it all. Wake up, feed Sonia, go for run, return home, shower, eat breakfast, go to work. Have several appointments, go home and walk Sonia again, repeat. Take lunch after the second walk. Repeat two more times before heading home for the day.

Afternoons were her favorite time, as it was filled with much lounging and playing with the puppy - something she had never imagined herself doing just a handful of weeks ago. With a content smile she looked over her schedule for the day.

Yeah. Life was going pretty good right now.

A knock interrupted her quiet, and Alex glanced at the clock.

8:15AM.

Right on time. Draping her sweater over the chair, Alex accepted the file from the nurse at the desk before greeting her first patient of the day.

* * *

"Wait, you need me to _what_?" Alex asked her uncle flatly, already regretting her daily visit to his office.

It was often the case.

"Oh, it's not that big of a deal."

"What makes you think that I don't have something better to do?"

"Oh please, you don't have a social life."

"Well, for your information, I do. Last week I applied to be the girl's assistant lacrosse coach at Princeton High. Got the call back today, their season starts up in only a few weeks."

It was really almost two months away, but he did not need to know all the details. They ignored the door opening, it was not uncommon for her uncle's employees to walk in on their conversations.

"Lacrosse?"

"What of it? I played it a bit in high school, and in college. I was only assistant my sophomore year, but junior and senior year I was captain. I was even the GA during my fifth year. We won our conference all four of those years. My first year we only placed second."

"Still. Lacrosse?"

"Why not?"

"Coaching high school athletics is not a social life."

Alex sighed.

"Look, I'm working on it, okay? I'm still just getting settled. Who knows what could happen."

"What could happen? As of now you're about as busy as Wilson is when I'm bothering him in his office."

Alex blinked.

"We'll see," she said finally, not giving a definitive answer.

"I'm bothering you until you say yes."

"Try me."

"I'm calling you right when you walk out this door."

"I'm shutting my cell off."

"I know your office extension."

"I'll unplug it. I swear I will."

"Do you really want to push this?"

Alex's eyes narrowed, stoically studying her uncle. A smirk slowly slid onto her face.

"Let the best woman win."

"Don't worry, I'm sure Thirteen _will _do so."

With a shake of her head, Alex turned around, stopping short as she nearly ran into the doctor in question. Thirteen was standing just inside the door, case file in hand as she waited for the conversation to finish.

Chocolate brown met sea-foam blue, and Alex blinked in surprised.

"Sorry," she muttered, maneuvering around the older woman with ease.

"No problem."

With one final, annoyed, look at her uncle, Alex returned to her office, promptly turning off her cell like she had promised.

She had no doubt that her uncle would follow through on his threat. Unfortunately, she was not able to unplug her office phone like she had promised. Instead she set the ringer to low and hid it under a stack of paper, successfully muffling any future noise. With a satisfied grin she went to meet her next patient.

* * *

"Who's buying me lunch?"

The former interns shared a look, avoiding their boss's gaze.

"Homie, I knew you'd step up to the plate."

Foreman rolled his eyes, not commenting on House's immaturity. Taking pity on the older guy, Thirteen opened her mouth to argue when House beat her to it.

"Thirty-one. My niece is not answering her phone; she's probably already left for lunch. Three block from the hospital, westbound, there's a little family styled Italian restaurant. Go into the kitchen and get her for me."

Thirteen blinked.

"Your niece?"

"Did I stutter? I want to see her in this office by the end of her lunch hour."

"You have a niece?"

He graced her with a look, speaking levels of insults without words.

"Okay. Italian restaurant. Right on it."

The lone female doctor got to her feet, moving from the room with long strides. She stopped by the locker room, switching lab coat for her jacket, and headed out of the hospital. She paused, looking between the car lot and the sidewalk. Though the coldest month, the temperature was in the low forties and there was very little snow on the ground.

Thirteen took a deep breath of air, giving a small smile.

"If it's that close it shouldn't be a very long walk," she reasoned, under her breath. She started off at an easy pace, in the direction House had stated, finding the restaurant nearly ten minutes later. The Italian flag hanging above the door was a dead give away. With a sigh she let herself in.

The restaurant was mostly empty, as she looked around. Set up almost like a diner, where the patrons sat themselves, it was small but cozy, and the air smelled delicious.

_I should try eating here one day,_ Thirteen noted in her head. After a few moments of looking around the establishment, she found the door that lead to the kitchen.

She studied the sign dubiously. EMPLOYEES ONLY.

Rolling her eyes she pushed the door open. Music reached her ears, as she looked around the kitchen. Two were working away to prepare cooked food, while another kitchen staff was working on making several salads - cutting veggies and layering them with the lettuce in a bowl.

_Okay, totally have never met any of these people,_ she reasoned, pivoting slightly as her eyes continued to scan the large kitchen.

"Alex, you can't be serious."

"Oh come on, I really need to have plans for tonight. Legitimate plans."

The voice was familiar, though Thirteen hesitated to place it. She walked around the big center piece of several stoves, ovens, and steamers, and was welcomed with the sight of the dish washer and sinks.

"Alex-"

"It's a necessity. My life could be over if not. Then what? Who'll take care of the puppy? She needs me."

She blinked at the familiar face. _Niece? They don't even look anything alike._ Alex seemed to be completely at home, as she picked apart a bread stick, balancing herself easily on the edge of the counter next to the dish washer.

"Okay, okay," the other speaker was an Oriental guy in his early twenties, donning a white apron and wet from the splashing of water that accompanied his task. Because of the slow flow of customers, the lunch rush had not started yet, he was using a rag to wipe down the outside of the dish washer. Though slightly exasperated, his tone suggested his amusement. "I'll run it by Dan when I'm on break, see if he's up for it."

"That's all I ask."

"You're lucky I like you."

Alex 'hmm'ed, carefully chewing a piece of the bread as the boy hung up the rag, task finished.

"That's true."

"Okay, so say we do go out with you. What then? We finding you some company for the night?"

Alex scoffed.

"We? I don't need help."

"Honey, you're about as sensitive as a prosecuting lawyer at a murder trial."

"Oh, I'm sensitive. I have loads of sensitivity."

Her companion nodded.

"Uh-huh. I'm sure," he said, a hint of sarcasm.

"Besides, it's not like sensitivity is a particularly strong trait that people look for in a one-night stand."

"Also true. But for long term..."

Grabbing the hanging, damp rag, Alex tossed it at him, cutting off his train of thought when he jerked to the side to avoid being hit.

"Don't you have work to do?"

"Don't you?"

"Next appointment is at two."

"Lucky," the boy muttered, ringing out the towel before he started to wipe down the counter.

Thirteen took this opportunity to let them know of her presence.

"Hey."

Both looked over, and Alex slid off the counter, straightening.

"Thirteen, hey. What's up?"

Though the two still did not have many past interactions, the older doctor was not surprised that the younger one knew her name.

"House sent me here to get you."

Alex sent a pointed look towards the kitchen worker, who rolled his eyes but conceded to her point.

"There's a reason I shut my phone off," she turned her attention back to the other doctor.

"I believe it."

With a loud breath, Alex pulled the cell out of her pocket, turning it back on.

"Fifteen missed calls!"

* * *

It was nearly a half hour later when Thirteen finally got Alex to leave the restaurant. The smaller girl was friendly with the establishment's entire staff, and Thirteen was treated to samples of many dishes that were being prepped.

"Okay, I _really _need to eat there sometime," she informed Alex, as the pair finally left the restaurant. The Canadian girl laughed.

"I go there every day during my lunch hour. It's a nice walk, and it's worth it regardless the weather."

Thirteen was inclined to agree with the statement.

"So what is House nagging at you for now?"

Alex sighed lightly.

"He wants me to babysit him tonight. Well, not really... he wants me ready to come babysit him. Meaning he's planning on getting utterly smashed and then calling me up at 4:00AM to pick his ass up and drag him back to his apartment and make sure he's all set before I'm free again."

Alex shot a side glance at her companion.

"Now, normally I wouldn't have a problem doing that for someone, but... I'm sure you know how he can be."

"How he _is,_" Thirteen corrected her, tone light.

"Exactly. But he wants to give Wilson a break. Surprisingly so."

"That is very unusual."

Alex nodded her agreement.

"Anyhow. I'm trying to make sure that I have plans. Maybe he'll stay in. Won't even bother. It's unlikely, but a girl can wish, right?"

Thirteen grinned. Almost hesitantly she asked, "What kind of plans?"

Alex shot her another glance, catching her eye for a moment before she returned the smile.

"Sho knows some pretty good places. Unfortunately he won't go anywhere without his other half."

"Dan?" Thirteen chanced a guess. Alex nodded with a laugh.

"Dan," she confirmed. "Sho will call me this afternoon to let me know. Until then, I just have to convince Uncle Greg that yes... I am already busy tonight."

Thirteen smiled slightly. The rest of the walk was accompanied with comfortable talk.

* * *

I am very sorry that this took so long to finish up and get out... I feel horrible about it.


	5. Chapter 5

Alex grinned, as she snapped her cell closed. With much effort, she contained the urge to celebrate at the top of her lungs.

_We're in. Meet at our place. 8.  
_

The text from Sho came in only minutes ago, but it came at the perfect time for Alex - her uncle had just sent security down to escort her up. Not as pleasant as Thirteen, but the walk was much shorter so she did not complain.

"Lexi, just who I was-"

Alex held up her hand, surprisingly silencing House even in front of his team.

"Can't. Busy."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not! I seriously have plans. No joke."

Her grin was too smug not to be believed.

"And what are these so-called 'plans'?" he asked, doubtful but not disappointed.

Alex shrugged.

"Meeting up with some friends. Going out."

"I thought we agreed that you didn't have friends?"

"Actually, it was my social life that we were talking about, and _you_ agreed, with yourself, that I didn't have one. Which I totally do."

_Hardly_, she did not vocalize. She was working on it.

"Well that's disappointing," her uncle stated, not seeming to be very affected by the news. It was then that Alex figured he probably had not had any intention of going out, and was simply toying with her by hanging the impending peril over her head for the whole night.

"Right, well, I have another appointment, because unlike you, I actually work _with_ my clients," she said, dismissing herself. Her eyes caught Thirteen's on the way out, and the two women shared a grin at Alex upping her uncle.

_A job well done Nuñez_, she commended herself silently, as she made her way back to the rehab wing of the hospital.

She was thankfully done with escorts.

* * *

Alex moved around her bedroom, picking through the array of clothes she had both on the floor and in her closet. It was only twenty minutes before she had to meet Sho and Dan, and she was hardly ready.

"Come on, simple. Keep it simple, and you," she muttered. She looked to the pair of dark jeans that were already on her bed, sighing.

Why was it always so difficult to find a shirt? It was not like she had many to pick from - tank tops and dress shirts made up ninety-five percent of her wardrobe.

After another ten minutes, she finally just dug her favorite red tank out of one pile, knowing that it was clean, before pairing it with a form fitting, surprisingly low cut, black sweater. Changing, she ruffled her hair, taking away its polished, professional look, before hurrying down to the first level of her apartment. Sonia was dozing at the bottom of the stairs, and Alex hopped over the dog, without loosing a step. Slipping into a pair of red Chucks, she let herself out of the apartment, locking the door behind her.

She walked to Sho's, for it was only ten minutes away, and arrived late, as per usual of the brunette.

"Alex! About time, we thought you weren't going to show!"

Dan was as flamboyant as they got, and Alex rolled her eyes, but smiled and returned the greeting all the same.

"Yeah, sorry, I really need to put my clothes away so I can find things."

"Oh, don't worry about it darling, we all have our down-sides."

Alex grinned, agreeing with the statement fully.

"Sho should be ready any minute, he simply takes forever," the blonde informed his house guest. The magenta streaks he had in his hair went well with his current outfit, a white and pink graphic tee and faded torn jeans.

"Like hell I do, you always take so much longer than me," the Asian boy said, coming out of the bedroom. "Hey Alex. I see you're going for simple tonight."

The brunette shrugged.

"Just how I roll."

"You know," Dan started. "We could totally edge you out right now. It'd only take about an-"

"No Dan," Alex and Sho chorused together.

"You are not touching my hair," Alex added with finality. The cosmetologist pouted, but knew he was not going to win the argument.

"I just think that one day you should let me doll you up."

"Maybe," the lone female said, though her tone suggested the chances of that happening were slim.

"You ready to go?" Sho asked, and Alex shrugged.

"I walked," she warned her friend, who waived off the statement.

"You know I don't drink. Don't worry about it."

"Then let's head out."

The trio exited the house, climbing into Sho's cavalier as they set off further into the city.

"So where are we headed anyways?"

"It's a surprise," Dan was the one to answer, a wide grin on his face. Alex attempted to stare him down, but he was looking away.

"It's just a bar," Sho rolled his eyes at his partner. "Don't worry. Some drinks, some music, some pool. What more could you want to wind down from the week?"

Alex nodded at the description, agreeing fully. Although she finally had a successful career, it was hard to shed old habits, and low-key, at times grungy, sports bars were something she had frequented since she was a teenager.

It was not until she actually saw the bar itself that she laughed, shaking her head. Of course with Dan, it could only ever be a gay bar. Rolling her eyes, she entered behind her friends.

Alex looked around the small place, unable to stop the grin. With a small dance floor, one pool table, and a handful of TVs, it was a very casual atmosphere. Dan left for the bar as Alex and Sho took seats at one of the rounded booths.

"Dan loves this place," Sho explained, as Alex settled into her seat.

"It seems nice."

Sho nodded, picking up the deck of cards that was laid out on the table.

"It is," he assured her, shuffling them expertly. Dan joined them just a moment later, setting a Coke in front of his boyfriend before sliding a bottle across the table to Alex.

"So we've never actually been out for drinks together before, but you totally come off as a beer girl."

Alex grinned, nodding along.

"Right in one."

Dan turned to Sho.

"See, I can totally read people."

"Of course you can," Sho said, with a hint of sarcasm. He let the matter drop however, instead dealing each of them a hand.

"You know how to play Rummy, right?"

Alex rolled her eyes.

"Please, all I did back in high school was gamble in card games."

"Ohhh, you rebel, you," Dan cooed, causing Alex to laugh.

"Definitely," she said dryly. "Euchre all the way."

"You Canadians," Sho shook his head, as Dan made the first move. Alex laughed, but did not correct him, as her turn was next. She deftly picked up the ace before putting down her first points, a run in Spades. Putting the red nine in the discard, she nodded to Sho.

"Dan, I think we may be in trouble," the Asian boy informed his friend, looking at Alex's queen, king, and ace. The brunette was smirking.

"Seriously, you're on my field," she warned, even as the game continued.

Sure enough, when Alex cleaned out her hand first, the tally was strongly in her favor.

"Double or nothing," Sho said, as Dan waived for the bartender for more drinks.

"We didn't even put money down," Alex pointed out, but did not object to the next deal in. They spent the next few rounds of drinks playing cards.

"Baby, can we please dance?" Dan begged Sho eventually. Alex smirked, as after several minutes the Asian was finally coerced. She shook her head, getting up from the booth as well, instead going to the bar to order a new drink. With Dan and Sho's jackets at the table, and the array of empty glasses, it was clear that it was already taken, and Alex was not worried about having to fight for it back.

"Your rum and coke," the bartender finished concocting her drink. She was a pretty lady, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and Alex guessed that she was perhaps in her early thirties.

"Thanks," she said with a grin, sliding onto the bar-stool. Her gaze shifted to the dance floor, where she easily found her friends; Sho was dancing at a reasonable pace to contrast Dan's more sporadic movement. The other boy was an energetic drunk.

"I don't think I've seen you around before," the bartender said, after she had taken care of another customer. The night was starting to pick up, but the bar was still not entirely busy.

"I only moved here a few weeks ago," Alex said. "Been getting settled at my new job and place."

"Where you from?"

"Ontario."

"Canada? Must be a pretty good job to move all the way here."

Alex gave a short laugh.

"I'm a physical therapist. Over at Princeton-Plainsboro."

"Another one, huh?"

Alex blinked.

"Pardon?"

"We have a lady doctor who stops in here sometimes," the bartender explained. "Pretty thing, she's very into the party scene though. I think I saw her not too long ago, actually."

Alex studied the blonde for a moment.

"Huh... interesting."

The bartender did not seem to notice her dilemma.

"Yeah, we get some of everyone here."

Alex took a sip of her drink, nodding.

"It seems like a cool place."

The blonde smiled at her.

"It is. I enjoy working here."

"Well it's always a good thing when you like your job."

"Isn't it? Excuse me."

As she was helping another customer, Alex spun on the stool. Another song was almost over, though neither Sho nor Dan were back at the table yet. Her eyes swept the room. There were two couples at the pool table, and several more on the dance floor, as well as many scattered at the handful of tables around the room. Seeing the crowd slowly growing, Alex abandoned her spot at the bar, weaving in and out of chairs and tables until she reached the booth, putting her drink down on the table before spinning around when she swore she heard her name - it sounded like Dan.

Her body collided with another, and she stumbled back a step, catching herself with the table. A dampness settling on her arm alerted her of the spilled drink

"Oh shit, I am _so _sorry," she apologized, silently chastising herself over the incident. If she had only taken a second to look before walking.

"No, it's okay. I mean, I have all this space and I walk into you," the other said, and Alex paused at the voice.

"Thirteen?"

The older doctor looked up, blinking at the familiarity.

"Alex?"

_'We have a lady doctor who stops in here sometimes. Pretty thing...'_

Well the bartender was certainly right about that.

"Okay, wow. Are you stalking me?" she joked, her tone light.

Thirteen thought for a moment on how to proceed, her night so far had been less than ideal. She could deny it, it certainly was not true, or she could tease the younger brunette, and perhaps get to know her a bit better.

She settled on the second option.

"I plead the fifth," she returned the grin. Alex laughed.

"I knew it," she said, in a faux-mutter to herself.

"I still didn't mean to spill my drink on you," Thirteen replied.

"Well if I had decided to be normal, and walk around people instead of running over them, we wouldn't be in this situation."

Thirteen laughed at the terminology.

"True," she finally agreed, still teasing. Alex smiled.

"So... can I buy you another drink? To make up for wearing yours?"

Thirteen grin became a smirk, and she mentally congratulated herself.

"Well, if you insist."

"What were you having?"

* * *

It was only one song later that Sho and Dan returned from the dance floor, and introductions were made between the two.

"I'm Dan, Sho's better half."

Thirteen grinned.

"Remy."

Alex glanced sideways.

"Remy?"

"What, you don't think my parents named me Thirteen, did you?"

Alex conceded to her point.

"How did that come about anyway?" Sho took the question out of Alex's mouth.

"Well, when my boss was trying to decide who to hire, instead of conducting interviews like a normal person," here Thirteen and Alex shared a look, both knowing exactly how difficult House could be. "He set it up like a game show, and weeded us out like we were on the Apprentice. He assigned all the interns numbers, and mine just stuck."

"Your boss sounds like a nut case."

Another shared look between doctors.

"You have _no _idea," Alex affirmed.

* * *

And another part is done! I shall start working on the next within a couple of days, I hope, so stay tuned!


	6. Chapter 6

"You come here often then?" Alex asked, managing to keep the question casual. Thirteen nodded.

"Somewhat. Why?"

The younger girl shrugged.

"No reason. Hey Sho, you want to deal a game?"

"Alex, babe, you know me too well."

Alex looked to the other doctor.

"You in?"

"Sure. What are we playing?"

"Well, I'm still tired of getting my ass kicked at Rummy," Sho answered, with a bitter edge in his voice. He pretended not to notice Alex's cocky smirk. "So I'm going to say Asshole? You played it before?"

His tone suggested that it had been more of a rhetorical question, but Thirteen laughed and answered anyways.

"Oh yeah, good times."

Alex was nodding.

"You're still gonna get your ass kicked though. It doesn't change the fact."

"Great," Sho muttered, before dealing the entire deck. As such started another round of card games, lasting longer than the first, with an air of ease and humor surrounding the foursome.

It was after midnight when the group came to a mutual agreement to head out. Thirteen trailed behind the boys, in step with Alex.

"It's unusual," she started, almost randomly.

"What is?"

Thirteen gave an slightly embarrassed laugh.

"I can't remember the last time I left a bar without someone I was planning on-"

She hesitated, but even in her buzz, Alex picked up what she meant.

"And you do that often?"

Her tone was curious, and with just a glance Thirteen knew that she had not intended for it to sound the way it did. The older doctor bit the inside of her lip, taking a moment to answer.

"Yes. No. I don't know. I..." she sighed, not knowing how to word it. "Lately. Just been trying to escape."

She was surprised with her openness, but figured that the alcohol had some influence over it.

Alex had a bitter smile on her face.

"Yeah, I know how that goes."

"So Remy!" Dan called back. "How are you getting home darling?"

"Well I drove actually... I didn't think that far ahead."

It was a lie, for the most part. Originally she did have a plan - and it had been her having just one or two drinks and bringing some company home, or in the very least back to her car. That plan was effectively useless now, however; she found that she did not mind how it had turned out.

"You drank a lot to have drove," Alex warned.

"I wasn't planning on having so many. Not here at least."

Alex pieced together what she meant, and gave her companion an apologetic look.

"Sorry."

Thirteen shook her head with a light laugh.

"Hey, it was my drink that spilled."

Though agreeing, the younger girl did not vocalize it.

"Where do you live?" Sho asked, as they got to his car.

"Oh, it's on the other side of town. But don't worry about it, really."

"Remy, you can't drive," the Asian boy informed her.

Thirteen hesitated, knowing he was right. She did not have many close friends, however, and she was not one to call for help.

"I just don't want to make you go so far out of your way."

"It isn't a problem."

Thirteen pursed her lips, secretly not wanting to go home to an empty apartment; it was one of the main factors behind the continuous flow of one-night stands after all. Being home, alone, in the quiet, left her with only time to mull over her impending fate. As they all piled into Sho's car, Alex studied the older doctor silently.

"Hey Sho, can you just drop me at my place?" she asked the driver, still not taking her eyes off of Thirteen.

"You got it."

The drive to Alex's was only ten minutes, and when she let herself out of the back seat, she pulled at Remy's arm as well.

"Come on."

It was more of a command than a request, and Thirteen looked at the younger girl in confusion.

"You look like someone just killed your cat... and you don't even look like a cat person. Come on."

"Alex-"

"Sho, it's fine, this way she can get her car tomorrow, too."

Though doubtful, Dan encouraged his boyfriend with a childlike excitement.

"Come on sweetie, that's so cute, just let them go."

Alex gave the cosmetologist an odd look.

"Oh, I do not do cute," she said with some venom, before turning her attention back to her original task. "Come on."

After another moment, Thirteen rolled her eyes, and crawled out of the car, thanking the two boys.

"See you later," Alex said, before shutting the door. She watched for a second as Sho drove down the street before turning towards the building. The stores were unsurprisingly dark, and the huge glass windows reflected the street lights into their faces. Alex made her way to the heavy door in between the two shops and unlocked it, admitting the two doctors. Climbing the stairs, she repeated the action for the door at the top before they were allowed into the immaculate hallway. Passing two doors, Alex stopped at hers, sliding the second key into the lock before turning it.

Sonia greeted her on the other side of the door, tail wagging near violently. "Hey girl," she tossed her keys to the counter, not caring if they reached it or not. Kicking off her shoes, she crouched down, letting the dog inspect her. Thirteen paused in the doorway at the shepherd.

"Wow. Big puppy."

"Uh-huh," Alex agreed, moving from the door. She heard it click shut a moment later, and when she turned, Thirteen was still standing at the door, looking surprisingly uncomfortable.

"Look, just make yourself at home, I'm going to go change real quick. Do you want something else to wear?"

"Sure; a different pair of pants?"

She hated sleeping in jeans. As Alex hurried up the stairs, she did not appear to like walking, Thirteen invited herself to look around the apartment. There were long curtains that hung from the window-wall, they were drawn together, making the street lights little more than a glare against the slightly-more-than-sheer fabric. The collage of posters and paraphernalia that adorned every spot of the wall was also impressive, and the diagnostician spent several minutes looking over the array of interests.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

Alex returned, holding out a pair of sweatpants that she had from athletics in college.

"I'm good. Bathroom?"

"Oh, right. Upstairs. Sorry for the mess."

Thirteen gave her a curious look - the apartment was actually very clean, from what she had seen. There was not even a dish in the sink, though there were several on the drying rack. Thirteen ascended the staircase, however, and paused once she was at the top. There was a large canvas, against the wall, and a white sheet on the floor next to it, with paints and brushes littering the sheet.

_Oh. This mess,_ she thought, pausing as she took in the beginning stages of the art piece. Turning to the rest of the room, she looked over the array of clothes. Though much less furnished and decorated than the first level, the bedroom held an air of comfort that suggested it was a well lived in room. Thirteen walked around one pile of clothes, and into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her before she changed, folding her jeans and putting them next to the sink. Done, she checked her reflection, noticing just how dilated her pupils were.

"Maybe I drank more than I realized," she quietly admitted to herself. Blinking, she turned from the mirror, letting herself into the main part of the house again, returning back downstairs.

Alex was sitting on one couch with Sonia, a knitted blanket covering her legs as she ate the chips and salsa she had managed to find in the cabinets. Almost hesitantly, Thirteen lowered herself onto the other couch, surprised at the small throw pillow, and fleece blanket that greeted her.

"Got home just in time," the younger doctor said, sparing a glance at her companion before she turned back to the TV. "The good shows are always on at night."

Thirteen chuckled at the observation.

"Your uncle was right, wasn't he?"

Alex shot her a curious look.

"What do you mean?"

"You really don't have much of a social life, do you?"

Thirteen was surprised when the other doctor actually blushed - faintly, but it was visible.

"I'm working on it, okay?" she said defensively. "It's not exactly easy when you've just spent the better part of a month sleeping on _said _socially deranged uncle's couch."

With another laugh, the statement was hard to argue, Thirteen turned to the TV.

* * *

It was surprisingly late when she started to wake up the next morning - late for her at least; it was well past nine. She could not remember falling asleep, but she was surprised to find that she did not have a hangover.

Opening her eyes, she squinted for a moment before looking around curiously, wondering for a brief moment of where she was this time.

A half empty bowl of salsa, and an array of tortilla chips, adorned the table. Thirteen blinked, wiping a hand across her eyes. Her gaze fell onto the couch that was positioned parallel to her, on the other side of the small table. Alex was laying on her side, curled into herself. Her knitted blanket would have been near big enough, if it was not still folded in half.

The younger girl seemed to have no problem with the fact. Using the dog, Sonia Thirteen remembered from last night, as a pillow, the younger doctor had one leg half extended, draped off the couch.

Sensing new life, the puppy lifted its head slightly, catching Thirteen's movement as she sat up. The dog crawled out from it's position, causing Alex's head to fall at the sudden lack of support. The younger doctor groaned at the jolt, eyes squeezing shut.

"'Nother walk Son?" she asked thickly, words slurring slightly in her sleepy haze. Alex curled up even more into a ball as she hid her face from the light. The dog sat in front of Thirteen however, and rested her head on the woman's knee. Thirteen hesitantly started to pet the dog, and the wag of Sonia's tail thumped against the leg of the table, creating a rhythmic thump. After only a minute, Alex opened her eyes, blinking at the ceiling tiredly.

"Oh, I need to do this more often," she said dryly, and Thirteen was quite sure she was joking. The younger doctor sat up, eyes squeezed shut.

"Seriously, it's been too long," she muttered, swinging around so her feet were off the couch fully.

"That sucks."

Thirteen's tone was not very sympathetic, but Alex did not hold it against her.

"Walk?"

The puppy did not budge, and Alex sighed.

"Okay. No walk then."

There was an awkward pause of silence.

"You hungry?"

Thirteen blinked, pausing to think it over.

"What do you have?"

Alex rolled gracefully off the couch, to her feet, walking around the furniture to the kitchen.

"And that's the million dollar question. Let's see," she searched slowly through the cabinets and refrigerator. "I have-" she drew out the 'a' as she pondered the question more thoroughly.

"Eggs, butter, orange juice... some uncooked pasta. Cheerios. Brownie mix. And bread. No peanut butter though."

Thirteen quirked one eyebrow, and Alex turned in time to catch the look.

"Yeah, I haven't really gone grocery shopping yet. Oh, look, I found some waffles!"

Thirteen snorted at the sheepish response, and rolled her eyes when Alex shut the freezer door.

"You don't say. Let me guess... no syrup?"

"Does honey count?"

"No."

"Oh... then nope. No syrup."

Thirteen had gotten to her feet, and was leaning against the counter between the living room and kitchen, looking in.

"You might want to get on that," she pointed out.

Alex nodded her agreement.

"But until then, we still have the brownie mix," she pulled the red box from one of the cabinets to wave it briefly.

"A healthy alternative."

"Seriously, you hit multiple food groups, I mean... Flour is wheat. Eggs are poultry. Argumentatively cocoa is a vegetable, since it is a bean. Or would that be a fruit?" the younger doctor paused to think it over. "You know what? It doesn't even matter, really. You also add water, which anyone can say is very healthy for you, especially if you're suffering the aftereffects of acute intoxication."

"A win-win situation," Thirteen grinned, nodding in amusement at the logic. Nonetheless, she did not stop Alex from moving around the kitchen, pouring the powdered mix into a bowl before adding the eggs, water, and vegetable oil, and mixing it with a wooden cooking spoon. Preheating the oven, she grabbed a small pan from the drying rack, greasing it with some of the oil before adding the mixture. Setting the timer, she put the brownie mix into the oven, though it was not fully heated yet.

"Chocolate?"

Thirteen looked at the proffered spoon. With a grin, she ran one finger along it, before dispensing it into her mouth with a playful wink. Alex smirked, looking away for a moment before turning back.

"Behave," she admonished, without a hint of venom. Thirteen responded with an innocent look that Alex did not buy for a moment.

"Like I wouldn't," she replied, swiping more of the mixture.

At the pointed look, she laughed.

"Okay, what is it with your family? You and your uncle both... you're like, crazy good at seeing through people."

"Genetics rock sometimes," Alex shrugged, unknowingly dampening Thirteen's mood.

"But not always."

Alex looked at her in confusion, studying the older woman's lack of eye contact and sullen tone. Though ignorant of the reason, she conceded the point.

"Also true," her tone was just as serious. When the other woman still did not look up, Alex pursed her lips, bowing to study the bowl in front of her. Scooping just a bit onto her finger, she paused before reaching out to Thirteen, swiping lightly at her cheek.

The older doctor looked at her, and she quickly hid her hand from view. With her own look of innocence, she shrugged.

"You had something on your face."

"Oh. Is it gone?"

With a grin, Alex shook her head.

"Not a bit."

With a sigh, Thirteen rubbed at the spot, pausing at the gooey texture. Pulling her hand back, she studied the mixture with suspicion, before turning her scowled gaze towards the younger woman.

"You did not just do that."

"Do what? What are you talking about? I don't know what you mean."

By the time the snack was finished cooking, Alex was sighing at the new mess she would have to clean on the counter (and her clothes) as Thirteen, rather smugly, cut up the still warm brownies.

* * *

Okay, so unfortunately, I will be without a computer/internet for about three months starting tomorrow, probably until the beginning of August (but maybe the end of July). After that, I will be neck deep in my foreign language studies, so I'm saying sorry ahead of time. Pointless to say, but there will be a brief hiatus on my stories (though with how I've fallen victim to long updates, it really would be about normal).

I thank you for all reading this, though, and I will be back eventually (I'll have a notebook, so I'll try to write when I can, it's just a matter of typing it and posting it that will be impossible). On the plus side, this is my longest chapter of this story to date.


	7. Chapter 7

I am back! Almost... I mean, my workload is a killer, but I generally get a bit of time on the weekends. I will continue to work on this, and Cannonball, but please be patient. When I say I'm in an advanced program, I mean beyond _advanced_. Like, I will be done with my schooling (comparative to a Masters degree program) in under a year, advanced. Yeah. It's totally kicking my ass right now.

* * *

After enjoying their homemade breakfast, Alex offered to bring Thirteen to her car. The older doctor agreed readily - though she had the day off, she could never be sure when House would call, surprising her with a new case.

"So which lot was it?"

Thirteen paused for a moment, trying to remember exactly where she had parked her car.

"The one on the north side of the bar," she said finally, mostly sure. As Alex navigated her way through the streets, Thirteen was relieved to see that she had been right.

"So what's on your agenda?"

Alex's question surprised her, and Thirteen hesitated to get out of the car once they had pulled into the spot next to hers.

"I hadn't really planned on anything," the diagnostician eventually admitted.

"Oh, well..." Alex paused, biting the inside of her lip. To offer, or not to?

"You could come back over if you want. Well, in a bit, I mean. I don't really have anything planned, except now I think I should probably go buy some food and stuff. But aside from that. Just me and Sonia."

Thirteen would almost admit that the other woman's ramblings was cute.

"Uh, maybe. I think I should get myself cleaned up first, but I'll let you know?"

Alex was already nodding.

_Come on. __Nuñez__, stop being a spaz._

"Sure. Like I said, groceries. Well, I will catch you later. Maybe."

When Thirteen did not close her door, Alex finally looked over.

"Can I get your number at least? I really don't feel like having to ask House for it."

Alex turned away, hiding the faint blush.

"Of course," she agreed, before rattling off the digits. Saving the number into her contact's list, Thirteen's lips quirked into a grin.

"Well. See you later."

"Right, later."

Door shut, Alex was finally free to shift her car into reverse, backing out of the parking spot expertly. As she shifted into drive, she paused, watching the other doctor get into her own car. With a grin, the brunette shook her head. "Get a grip Lexi," she chided herself, before driving to the large grocer that was only a few blocks from her apartment. After spending the better part of two hours at the store, she headed back to her apartment. It took two trips for all the groceries to make it upstairs, and Alex quickly put away anything that needed to be refrigerated or frozen, leaving the rest on the counter as she took Sonia for a much needed walk. When they returned, she finished unpacking, organizing the cabinets exactly how she wanted.

Finished she started to tidy up, starting first with the brownies. She wrapped what was left, before washing the pan and utensils she had used to make them. That done, she moved to the living room, clearing the chips and salsa from the table and trashing what was left: just a few crumbs and the half eaten salsa. She then proceeded to wipe down both the counters and table. Letting out a breath, as Sonia lazily watched her from the couch, she moved back into the living room, refolding both blankets and returning them to her chosen spot - on the back of either couch. Complete with the first level, she moved upstairs.

Ignoring the mess from her painting - her materials were laid out just how she wanted them - she instead focused her attention on the clothes. She retrieved a plethora of hangers from the closet, before meticulously reorganizing the clothes back in said closet. Exiting, she looked around the room. The bed was unmade, but Alex could care less of that. There was a desk pushed into the corner, facing over the staircase at the window. Her laptop sat closed, next to a notepad, which was opened to a blank page. In the small gap that separated her bed and her wall was a single drawer-ed night stand, with a lamp and alarm clock on it. The wall next to her bed held a long book shelf, filled with various pictures, figurines, and medical texts, as well as leisure books. A radio sat on one of the top shelves, off for the moment.

Taking a deep breath, Alex grinned. It was indescribable, but there was always a particular scent that she had always associated with home.

_Perfect_.

She spent a moment longer standing there, before she headed towards the bathroom - which was surprisingly the cleanest room in the house. Aside from the pile of dirty clothes, which Alex promptly moved to the hamper in the closet, there were no other adjustments that Alex could see.

_Except for..._

The jeans folded neatly on the counter top, next to the porcelain sink, confused her. Not only did she never put clothes on the counter, but she never folded her jeans. They got hung up with the rest of her clothing. With frown, she picked them up, unfolding them.

"Definitely not mine," she decided, first noting that the pant length was several inches too long. They were the right waist size, however. "Huh."

She thought back to dropping the other doctor off. Had she still been wearing sweats?

_Must have,_ Alex figured. Folding the jeans how they were, she moved them to the railing, next to the stairs for her to grab on her way down. Finally finished, she collapsed onto her bed, snuggling into the blankets. At some point, Sonia had joined her on the second floor, and the dog was laying on the large, pillowed bed that was next to the desk. Lazily, Alex fumbled with her phone in her pocket, before replacing it on the night stand. Mission accomplished, she relaxed into the comforter, inhaling deeply.

It smelled like home.

With a lazed grin, she drifted off slowly, still tired from the previous night, as well as the cleaning.

A loud buzzing roused her, just over an hour later. Tiredly, she reached out for the phone, rolling onto her back as she flipped it open.

Though she did not recognize the number she proceeded to open the text.

_'So what did you have in mind?'_

Alex studied the message confused. Have in mind for what?

_'Thirteen?'_

It was a moment before she got a response.

_'Right in one.'_

Alex looked at the alarm clock. It was just past four in the afternoon.

_'Well, I got food. I'm a pretty mean cook.'_

The cockiness was not lost on Thirteen, who responded with as much wit.

_'That good, huh? I guess we'll have to see.'_

"Aww, great. What the hell am I going to make, Son?"

The dog lifted her head, tilting it slightly at her name.

_'6:00.'_

_'I'll be there.'_

With a sigh, Alex rolled out of bed.

"Come on girl. A quick walk, then I need to get cranking."

True to her word, Alex and Sonia returned only fifteen minutes later. After pouring a cup of food into the dog's bowl, and refilling the water, Alex washed her hands. She started to rummage through the cabinets, as a picture slowly formed in her head.

Lining the counter with supplies, she turned to the stove, starting a sauce pan that she used to grill several small strips of chicken. As they cooked, she got out a square pan, starting on the rest. Chicken Parmesan was something that she could make in her sleep, and she didn't hesitate to add the different spices and flavors to the otherwise bland ingredients. A half hour after preparing it, it was cooking in the oven, and as an afterthought, Alex pulled out a small loaf of French bread she had also picked up. Making a quick garlic spread, she got the bread ready to put in the oven, before cleaning up what she could. When a knock sounded from the door, Alex checked the clock on the stove.

_Fifteen minutes early,_ she thought. Finally putting the bread in the oven, she strode over to the door, her bare feet near silent. Thirteen was casually leaning against the door frame, one hand in her pocket as the other held a bottle of wine.

"You're early," Alex pointed out, not holding it against the older woman. Thirteen rolled her eyes, but grinned, stepping through the door. Though not a request, she still stepped out of her shoes, before shutting the door behind her.

"Smells good in here."

"I know."

With a short laugh, Thirteen moved into the apartment.

"I felt like I needed to contribute," she explained, as she set the bottle of wine on the counter next to the stove.

Alex glanced from the bottle, to the diagnostician, and back to the bottle.

"You do seem like a wine sorta girl."

"What can I say?" Thirteen shrugged nonchalantly. "You, on the other hand, don't."

"Usually I'm not," Alex agreed. "But I'm not overly picky when it comes to alcohol," she continued.

Pausing for a moment, she studied her new... friend? Acquaintance? Alex wasn't really sure _what_ she considered them to be. _Maybe friends. _Thirteen had changed, the dark jeans and cabled sweater, which was a gray color that accented her eyes, seemed to have been made for her slight form. She had hung her jacket on one of the several hooks behind the door, and she looked much more comfortable in Alex's apartment than she had the night before._  
_

The beeper on the oven filled the otherwise silent apartment, and Alex moved to shut off the temperature on the oven.

"Go ahead and sit," Alex waived to the couches. "Turn on the TV if you want."

After only a moment of hesitation, Thirteen nodded at the invitation. As Alex pulled two plates from the cabinet, and two sets of silverware from one of the drawers, she then removed the food from the oven, placing it on the stove top before she dished out either plates - both with the pasta and the bread. She let it cool on the counter for a moment, as she got out two wine glasses, pleased that Jay had bought them as a gag gift for her when she moved in.

He had known she wasn't a wine drinker, but jokingly defended that it wasn't actually home unless you had the glasses for it. It took two trips to get both plates and drinks to the living room, where they quickly settled in - some sort of documentary had been turned down to almost silent in the background.

"Wow, you really can cook," Thirteen said, after the first bite. Alex grinned.

"I told you."

The cockiness was still there.

"And to think I doubted you," Thirteen agreed, before taking another bite. "This is really good."

Alex's smirk melted to a grin.

"Thanks. I guess that's just another thing I share with my uncle."

Thirteen quirked her head.

"House can cook?"

"Are you kidding? He's like a regular Bobby Flay. Something about food chemistry," Alex shrugged. "Not too sure on how he was explaining it, but yeah, he can cook."

Thirteen paused, mulling that over.

"Huh. Learn something new everyday."

With a hum, Alex agreed. As the meal carried on, they talked, getting to know each other more than they had the previous night. Alex finished recounting a story involving Dan and Sho, and a trip to an animal shelter, as Thirteen poured herself another glass of wine - the bottle had been moved into the living room at one point during the meal.

"Wait, so they really tried to steal a cat?"

"Dan did. Insisted it was saving him. Totally unnecessary."

"Wow. Those two are another story."

Alex laughed, nodding her agreement, taking a sip from her third glass of wine.

"They really are. So what about you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you have... well, at least half of my life story. What about you?"

Thirteen was silent for a moment.

"I grew up in the area, with my dad mostly. My mom died when I was pretty young."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. She was sick."

Alex looked at her curiously.

"What was it? Cancer, or something?"

Thirteen sighed.

"Huntington's. It's a... neurological disorder. Degenerative. Unfortunately, it's also hereditary."

Alex sat up straighter.

"You have it?"

Lips pursed, Thirteen nodded. It's not like it wasn't already common knowledge, House had already informed the entire hospital _weeks _ago.

"People don't actually die from the disease itself - but complications from the affects of the disease. Pneumonia is the most common cause."

Alex was silent for a moment, taking it in.

"That sucks."

It was totally something that House would have said in the situation, and Thirteen was surprised into laughing.

"I know," she said, after she had calmed down.

"You seem oddly calm about this," Alex observed her reaction.

"You are so far off base," Thirteen assured her, for the second night in a row cursing the alcohol for encouraging her to talk so openly. "I can't stand to be by myself. That's why whenever I'm not at the hospital, I'm usually at a bar. Picking up women. I hardly ever talk to my dad, I don't actually have friends. I have my coworkers. That's about it."

"And me," Alex corrected.

Thirteen allowed the slightest of smiles.

"Right."

"Well, I always knew life sucked," Alex confessed. "And what, with you fixing to die off any day now, I guess that just proves me right."

Another suspiciously 'House'-like statement, and Thirteen was quickly starting to see the previously nonexistent family resemblance. Nonetheless, she laughed once again at the absurdity of Alex's words.

"Actually, I have about ten years before the major symptoms start to affect me. Maybe even a bit more." _Or a bit less_, she did not feel the need to add. Alex seemed to catch what she meant, however.

"Well, I guess we'll have to make them count."

Thirteen looked at the younger girl, who met her gaze evenly. After a brief stare down, the older doctor cracked a grin.

"I guess so."


End file.
